Birds of a Feather
by Cymoril Avalon
Summary: Shizuka, Isis, and Mai plan a little get together to catch up on one another's lives now that they are finally in one place, but Shizuka has no real idea what awaits her...shoujo ai. AU. Takes place after the series end.


Disclaimer - I do not own Yugioh. End of story.

Author's Note - This is another request fic, for Leaf this time. There's no real plot to this, or backstory. It's basically just a glorified drabble that got a little out of hand. Should be nothing offensive, unless girls kissing makes you want to puke.

* * *

Shizuka yawned and stretched, knuckling the small of her back. Baking cookies was hard work! No one had ever told her of the sheer amount of _mixing_ it involved, and since her mother had never purchased an electric mixer, it had to all be done by hand. Having never made cookies before in her life, only watching her mother as she prepared cookies every holiday and pretty little cakes and brownies, she decided that it certainly looked easier than it really was. Though all in all, things seemed to be going well. A warm, pleasant scent hung over the kitchen, her first batch was almost done, and she hadn't broken anything. The ache in her back and wrists was persistent, though.

Still, she knew it would be worth all the effort. After all, both Mai and Isis were in town, and she hadn't seen them since Battle City. After moving back to Domino City to be closer with her brother – and several minor battles to convince her mother, who still did not trust him – she had hoped beyond hope that the two women she admired would come for a visit, but she'd never expected them both at the same time! And on top of that, they'd made time in their undoubtedly busy schedules to spend with her and each other. They were meeting at Mai's new apartment, effectively a small housewarming party and a girlish get-together all in one. Just thinking about it made Shizuka excited all over again.

It would have been even more perfect had Anzu been able to attend, but she'd been dragged off to Tokyo with her dance class for a fairly important performance. Apparently recruiters would be watching the shows, and to hear Anzu speak of it, they were very important people. They couldn't begrudge her this opportunity, however small, though her presence would be missed.

Her mother poked her head into the kitchen, a small smile on her face as she surveyed the mess. Shizuka hadn't quite spilled miscellaneous ingredients over every possible surface, but she'd given it her best shot.

"How's everything going, dear?"

"Great!" she chirped. "I'm about to take the first batch out of the oven."

Without a word, her mother stepped in and grabbed wax paper from one of the cabinets, laying a few sheets out onto the table. Shizuka stared at her for a moment, wondering what she was doing, then realized that the cookies needed something to cool on without sticking.

"Oh dear, I…"

"It's all right. You'd better check on the cookies, dear."

Nodding, Shizuka opened up the oven and peered inside, then grabbed a mitt and pulled the cookie sheet out. Letting it rest momentarily on the stove, she put in the second cookie sheet, closing the oven. Brushing hair out of her face, she brought the cookie sheet over to the table and began carefully transferring the sweetly smelling cookies from the pan to the wax paper. Her mother watched wordlessly, a fond look in her eyes.

"Can I try one?" her mother asked.

"Kaa-san, they're for Mai-san and Isis-san!"

"You have what looks like four batches."

"…oh yeah. I guess you can have some then." Shizuka grinned, spoiling her tough act. She was eager to try them as well, but she had other things to do. Walking back over to the counter, she set the tray aside to cool and pulled out a fresh one, carefully scooping cookie batter onto it in neat little rows. Nose twitching briefly as her hand disturbed a small pile of flour she'd spilled onto the counter, she lined the blobs of batter up perfectly, then set the sheet aside.

Her mother delicately picked up a cookie, taking a small bite and chewing it thoughtfully. Shizuka stopped what she was doing to watch, an anxious expression on her face.

"It's great, dear!" her mother said, pride in her voice.

A wide grin split her face as she squealed, clapping her hands girlishly. "Yes! You watch, kaa-san, I'm going to be a great cook one day!"

"This is baking, not cooking."

"Whatever!" Not even her mother's annoying habit of correcting her left and right could ruin her mood now. She hadn't destroyed the cookies, and that was what mattered. She finished the other batches quickly, amazed at how long she'd spent mixing the batter compared to how long they took to actually bake. It almost seemed unfair, somehow.

Her mother began to clean up some of the mess, wetting a paper towel to collect the small piles of flour and baking soda. "When are you leaving?"

"A little before dinner."

"Do you know when you'll be home?"

Typical mother questions; Shizuka was used to it.

"No, actually. Mai-san said something about us staying over if it ran too late. I'm packing a small overnight bag just in case."

"That's a good idea. It's supposed to snow later, and I wouldn't want you walking home in a storm. Could you leave the address and phone number on the fridge for me?"

"Sure, kaa-san." Impishly, she dipped her finger into the remaining batter and scooped it up, licking at it happily before putting the bowl in the sink.

Her mother glanced over at the clock, then dried off her hands and began sifting through the cabinets to pull down some plastic containers. "You should go get ready. I'll take care of packaging them up and cleaning your mess. How many are you going to bring over?"

"You mean, how many am I going to leave you?" Shizuka teased.

"Well, you should save some for your brother as well." The comment sounded almost forced.

"True," she mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Two batches should suffice. I know I certainly don't plan on eating too many, and I can always make more for them if they want."

Her mother nodded, then shooed her out of the kitchen to shower and dress.

It took her roughly an hour to get ready, which, for her, was a record. She'd had the foresight to choose an outfit as soon as she woke up, and luckily her cat hadn't shed all over it. She didn't wear black very often, but whenever she did, it seemed as if her cat just knew that Shizuka didn't want her sleeping or brushing up against it, and of course that made it the cat's priority.

Pausing to poke her head into the guest room, she spotted her cat stretched out on the bed, basking in the fading rays of sunshine. Smiling, she blew the cat a kiss and went into the kitchen.

"How did you clean so fast?"

"Years of experience, dear. And you forget how long we lived with your brother." Her tone was carefully even, but Shizuka noted the irritation and was smart enough not to say anything about it.

"They look so pretty!" she squealed, staring at the cookies separated into batches and wrapped in colored cellophane. "I didn't even know we had that stuff."

"I'm glad you like it. You'd better hurry up and leave if you want to be there on time. Did you write down the address and phone number?"

"Yes, kaa-san, it's in your bedroom right by the phone.

"Thank you, dear. Have fun!"

"I will!"

A bright smile on her face, Shizuka snatched up her coat and cookies and pocketbook, pausing to gaze into a mirror to make sure she had done her hair properly. She wanted to look mature so she wouldn't feel like a child in their midst, as she usually did, and so had put her hair up in a rather conservative ponytail and thrown on more makeup than usual. Though it made her look a little older, she still looked like a teenager, but even that didn't ruin her mood.

She hummed to herself as she walked to Mai's new apartment, having to pause occasionally and check her directions. She still got lost so easily in this city, and her brother hadn't had time to properly show her around yet, so she had to poke her head into a few stores and ask where some streets were. She absolutely hated asking directions, but it was better than wandering aimlessly for hours in an unfamiliar city.

"I need to buy a map," she grumbled as she left the fifth store that evening. Luckily, she was close; Mai's apartment was only a few streets away. She'd left herself enough time to get severely lost, and a quick glance at her watch showed that she still had some time, but she picked up her pace nonetheless, stepping quickly and dodging the passersby who insisted on walking at the pace of a snail.

When she finally arrived at the building, she found herself stopping dead outside the door, suddenly nervous. She couldn't pinpoint the reason for her anxiety, but she had to practically force herself to open the front door and wriggle inside without dropping the cookies. Her pulse accelerated and a flush rose up in her cheeks, her breathing growing decidedly unsteady. What was i wrong /i with her?

Taking several deep breaths and calming herself down, she scanned the list of names until she spotted Mai's. Third floor. Stairs or elevator?

Glancing at the burden in her hands, she opted for the elevator.

It took only a few seconds to arrive – she was used to having to wait minutes for her own elevator – and the nice young man inside was more than happy to hit the floor button for her, before asking her name and whether she would part with her phone number or not. That lit up her blush anew, and she stammered out that she didn't give out her number, and he left her there feeling a little ashamed.

She finally got hit on by someone other than Otogi and Honda – who, she felt, were simply pursuing her in order to outdo the other – and she completely blew it. But still, her mind was on the girls, and she didn't mourn him for very long.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Shifting the cookies uncomfortably – she never realized how heavy cookies could get when carried for very long – she scanned the apartments, looking for 326. Awkwardly, she stood in front of the door, then balanced the cookies in one hand while knocking politely with another.

After a few moments, the door opened, revealing Mai in all her glory. She looked as beautiful as always, fresh-faced and confident, and Shizuka's cheeks flared up for what seemed the hundredth time that day. She couldn't avoid staring at Mai, any more than she could after she had removed her bandages, and rather improper thoughts began to run through her mind.

"Shizuka! You're early. Come on it." Mai winked and took the cookies from her, making a delighted sound. "Cookies! You didn't have to do that! Oh, I am sure they will taste wonderful! You know," she continued, pitching her voice a little lower and leaning down, making the conversation more intimate, "Isis _loves_ cookies. But don't tell her I told you."

Smiling and nodding, not trusting her voice to respond at the moment, she followed Mai into the apartment, looking around curiously as she toed off her shoes. Mai had only been there for a week, and she hadn't entirely finished unpacking or decorating. A mirror hung off-center in the foyer, as if someone had knocked into it, and boxes were strewn everywhere.

"Watch your step," Mai cautioned, throwing her an amused grin. "I'm not the neatest of people at the best of times."

"This is a really nice apartment!" Shizuka said politely, though her comment was honest. She hadn't seen much, but already it looked spacious and open and warm. She was led into the living room, and she barely bit back a giggle when she saw that half of the books on the bookshelf had fallen over, and a few were spilling out of cardboard boxes.

"Sit, Shizuka. Isis should be here soon. Would you like anything to drink before dinner?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks!"

"You sure? All right then. I'm going to put these cookies in the kitchen. We'll bring them out as a surprise for Isis later." Mai disappeared, though Shizuka easily heard her voice from where she presumed the kitchen was situated. "She's going to absolutely squeal when she smells these!"

Shizuka sat down on one of the couches, feeling incredibly pleased at the warm reception. Shedding her coat, she leaned back comfortably, gazing around at the decorations and admiring the elaborate curtains partially obscuring the sliding glass doors leading out to a balcony. She wondered if they would spend any time out there despite the dropping temperatures, but she was jolted out of her thoughts by a knock on the door.

"Coming!" Mai called from the kitchen. She strode through the living room, winking at Shizuka again and tossing her curls over her shoulder. With as much grace and flair as she did everything, she opened the door and greeted Isis, who looked decidedly cold, no doubt far more used to the warm Egyptian weather.

Her breath caught when Isis stepped through the door. Two beautiful girls, side by side, laughing and smiling; it was a sight Shizuka would never forget. Her awe turned rather wistful as she wondered how she would ever become like them, mature and independent and so very beautiful. She wondered why they even bothered to spend time with her.

Her melancholia was blown to pieces when they both turned their smiles on her, and she pressed back against the couch. Those smiles were downright predatory, and she felt like prey stranded in an open field.

Removing her coat, Isis hung it up in the closet and removed her shoes, wriggling her toes a little. Smile widening, she walked over and sat down next to Shizuka, Mai taking her place on Shizuka's opposite side. She was acutely aware of their proximity, thighs touching and hair brushing against her shoulders.

"Happy belated birthday," Isis said, leaning in to press her warm lips against Shizuka's cheek.

"Yes, you're sixteen now." Mai's lips found Shizuka's other cheek, and she decided she liked being sandwiched between them, though she certainly would never admit it. "You're a woman now."

Lips trailing down to her throat, Isis murmured, "We planned this get-together to celebrate your coming of age. Is that what you call it here?"

Shizuka shivered, the motion barely perceptible.

"Birthday works just as well." Mai gave a throaty laugh, throwing an arm around Shizuka's shoulder. She found herself surrounded by warmth and flowery scents, her fingers clutching at her skirt nervously. What was going on?

"We wanted to do something really special for you." Tanned fingers slid beneath the thin straps of Shizuka's shirt, and the young girl gasped before she could control it, goosebumps rising on her arms.

Mai laughed again, nuzzling Shizuka's cheek until she turned to face her, her eyes wide and a little panicky. She was beginning to guess what the women had in store for her, and though she did not want to get her hopes up, the very thought set her blood on fire.

"What do you mean?" Her voice trembled slightly, her focus shifting between Mai's amethyst eyes and Isis's smooth fingertips caressing her skin, shifting lower and lower…

This time she gasped louder, almost a choked little cry, and her fingers fisted in the fabric of her skirt.

"Tonight is for you," Mai said in a very reasonable tone. "We're here to please you…"

"What about the cookies?" The question was absurd, especially in this situation, with Isis stroking over her heated skin and making her squirm and whimper and wish her clothing was scattered on the floor. Mai's fingers traipsed over her thigh, caressing the smooth skin and slowly moving inward.

"The cookies? Oh yes, Isis loves cookies. We'll include those later." Eyes flashing with delight, the blonde leaned in, stopping centimeters away from Shizuka's lips. "Later," she repeated, before closing her eyes and kissing her tenderly.


End file.
